Tea woke to the offending harsh light of the morning sun. The curtains had been pulled open, and to her initial surprise, a figure was standing next to the window, examining the massive New York City skyline. Tea blinked a few times before rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Remembering the events of the previous night, Tea called out his name.

"Kaiba?"

He turned to her. His brown locks looked tousled as they swung across his face. "Don't call me that. That's not my real name."

She ignored his comment, rising to a sitting position as she yawned and stretched. "Merry Christmas."

He simply hummed in response.

It didn't take long for Tea to notice the high ball glass filled with ice and an amber colored liquid perched in his grasp. At first, she panicked, thinking she'd slept in way too late. "What time is it?"

"Quarter after nine." He didn't even bother to look at his watch or Tea's alarm clock.

She exhaled a minuscule sigh of relief, but then immediately began questioning him. "What is that you're drinking?" She prayed it was some bizarre form of coffee and not…

"Scotch."

She raised her voice, more out of dread and concern rather than to scold. "Why are you drinking alcohol at this time of day!?"

"Why not?" He held his glass up to his lips, swirling the liquid for a moment before taking a sip. "It's Christmas isn't it— a time for celebration?" He took another sip; this time it being a much larger one.

There was something off about his tone. His voice held hints of scorn and pessimism, but it was as if he was trying to mask some sort of hidden sadness….

"Where did you get that?" Tea knew she didn't keep any alcohol in her apartment.

"From the liquor store down the street," he stated matter-of-factly.

"But it's Christmas."

He gave her a sideways glance, "And your point?"

"Aren't stores closed on Christmas?"

He shook his head, "Not in New York City." He took another, long sip of his beverage before staring out the window, "It truly is the city that never sleeps."

Tea was still confused, "Okay, but why are you drinking?"

"I already answered that question."

She huffed, "Not really. Most normal people don't drink before they've had their coffee! I understand it's Christmas but there's a reason you're doing this."

Kaiba shot her an annoyed glace before downing the rest of his Scotch. He finished over three-quarters of the glass in just one gulp. Tea glared at him.

In a flash, she got out of bed and walked over to him, popping her hip and snatching the glass from his hand. "What is your problem?"

He scowled at her, "What's yours?"

Tea dangerously lowered her voice, "I'm not the one drinking at nine in the morning."

"I don't see why you're making such a big deal out of it." With a quick swipe of his hand, he plucked the glass out of her grip and moved toward the direction of the kitchen.

Tea ferociously shook her head, "Oh no you don't!" She ran toward the bedroom door and blocked the exit, her skimpy nightgown almost falling off her shoulders. Swiping her hand over her to prevent exposing herself, she placed the strap back on her shoulder before outstretching her arms to thwart Kaiba from leaving.

"Can I help you?" The amount of mockery in his tone drove Tea nuts.

"Yeah," she replied, her tone just as snarky and sarcastic as his, "you can help me by not dancing around the subject!" Her eyes were ice, mimicking the feeling of the cold New York weather. Kaiba simply stared back. Neither knew how long their eyes had been locked on each other's for, but Tea knew she wasn't going to back down. This was a fight she was determined to win.

"Just step aside," he growled.

"No!" She spat back. After a few more moments of silence she sighed and said, "I care about you, don't you understand that? I mean, after everything last night I don't see how you couldn't… So, why can't you just talk to me and give me a straight up answer? You don't need to drink your problems away…"

"Who said there was a problem?"

She frowned, "You wouldn't be drinking if there wasn't."

This shushed him and Tea knew she finally hit the mark. Of course, he wasn't an alcoholic, she knew that, but his silence confirmed that there was another issue going on here. But what problem could there be? They had a fantastic time last night. They were finally together, so what was his major malfunction?

He set his empty glass down on her dresser and walked back to the window, placing his hands in his pockets while observing the lively city on the other side. He was wearing the suit he wore last night and Tea wondered if he was uncomfortable wearing dirty clothes.

After what felt like several minutes of him just staring out the window, Kaiba eventually said, "Let's go get breakfast."

Tea shook her head out of incomprehension, "Breakfast? Kaiba, you didn't even answer my—"

"We need to eat," he interrupted, reaching for his suit blazer that was slung over a bedpost. "Get dressed," he demanded as he shoved his arm through a sleeve, "I'll meet you outside." He snuck passed a bewildered Tea to finally escape the confines of her bedroom, slamming the door shut on his way out.


What the fuck got into him? Tea thought as she slipped into pair of black suede thigh-high boots. Everything was perfect last night….

Tossing on her coat and mittens, she hurried out of her apartment, taking the elevator down to the lobby. She was surprised to see Kaiba sitting in one of the lobby chairs, legs crossed, and eyes glued to his cell phone as he neared the end of a cigarette.

"You know you can't smoke in here, right?" She stood over Kaiba, glancing between him and the nearby doorman.

Kaiba continued to browse his cell phone, not looking up at her, "You'd be surprised how many rules you can break with a crisp Benjamin Franklin."

Tea rolled her eyes.

Kaiba stood up, shoving his phone into his pocket and putting out what little of his cigarette he had left on the bottom of his shoe. "Took you long enough."

Tea placed her hand on her hip. "I didn't realize I was being timed." Her reply was snarky. Kaiba was staring to grind her gears and she needed to figure out why he decided to wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

He brushed off her comment. "Let's go." He tossed his cigarette butt into the nearest trash bin, barely making it, and stormed out of the lobby toward the limo parked outside.

Jogging to keep up with him, Tea asked, "What's the rush?" Kaiba ignored her and the limo door was held open for the both of them.

The inside of the limo was cozy and warm, as opposed to the chill-you-to-the-bone winds of New York City. As Tea was warming up and taking her mittens off, she heard the clanking of glass from the other end of the backseat. Kaiba was digging through the mini bar.

"You've gotta be kidding me! Kaiba! Stop!"

"What did I tell you about calling me by my last name?" He snarled, pouring himself another drink.

"You don't need another one! We're about to have breakfast!"

Kaiba sneered at her, "I could have ten of these and be fine. One or two before breakfast won't make much of a difference."

Sadly, Tea shook her head, feeling like she was losing this fight— a fight she was so determined to win, but no one could win against Seto Kaiba, only Yugi….

And for a moment, she thought of Yugi. She glanced at Kaiba who was practically inhaling his beverage and wondered if she had made the correct decision. Her heart suddenly felt torn once again.

"Why are you doing this?" Her voice was barely above a whisper, but by the way Kaiba tilted his head in her direction, she knew he heard her pathetic plea.


They arrived at a quaint restaurant near The High Line and were quickly seated at a table next to a window that overlooked the Hudson River. Kaiba removed the blazer of his suit, swinging it over the back of his wooden chair, but Tea kept her coat on. There was a slight draft seeping through the window and Tea didn't feel like being anymore uncomfortable than she already was. Kaiba's presence was chilling enough….

Ships and small boats were floating across the river, and Tea couldn't help but focus on the way they smoothly glided across the rough waves with ease. Why couldn't her relationship with Kaiba be that easy? Instead, it felt more like the shifting waves, tossing them back and forth, rather than the sturdy persistence of the ships.

Thinking over everything they'd been through, Tea started counting her faults. She knew she'd caused Kaiba a lot of hurt and distress, but that was months ago. Wouldn't he be over their old drama by now? If that's what he was so angry about then why did he have sex with her last night? To Tea, it didn't make sense, but maybe her past transgressions were wearing on him, and Kaiba being Kaiba, couldn't straight up tell her how he felt. Tea couldn't help herself, she had to pry.

"Kaiba, I—" He shot her a daring glare. She instantly knew her slip-up and continued, softer and with much reluctance this time around. "Uh… Seto… I don't know what I did to make you so upset but… I'm sorry."

Never had Tea seen his eyes lock onto hers the way they had just now. Penetrating her mind, she felt him scanning through her thoughts, trying to pick apart her motive. When he found nothing in her wide, exposed eyes, he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and faintly flashing her a small smirk. It was as if he was relishing in a tiny victory. Over what, Tea did not know…

"I know you're sorry," he affirmed, "I wouldn't have flown halfway across the globe if I didn't think you were sorry." He let an air of silence infiltrate their atmosphere, but only for a moment before continuing, "After last night, there's nothing you could have done wrong in my eyes."

Tea let that comment sink in for a moment. Apparently, he saw nothing wrong with her but decided to drink and smoke like a nervous wreck at nine in the morning? "Clearly, something's bothering you. If it's not me, then what?"

"Good morning! I'm Bella and I'll be your waitress," the perky blonde smiled broadly while handing them their menus, her New York accent shining through as she spoke. "What can I getcha? Coffee? Juice?"

"Coffee. No cream. No sugar." Kaiba was bold and blunt, just like his order.

Tea glanced at the menu, "Uh… do you have green tea?"

"Just black, unfortunately…"

"I'll take that, with honey, please."

"Comin' right up!" The young blonde trotted away.

An uncomfortable stillness settled between them once again. Tea opened her mouth to break the silence but Kaiba beat her to the punch. "What would you like to do today?"

Her mouth dropped open as she tilted her head to the side. She lifted her finger like she was going to say something, but decided to let it fall, knitting her eyebrows together in confusion. Did Seto Kaiba just offer to spend the day with her?

"Yes, I did."

Shit. Did she just say that out loud?

He smirked, "Yes, you did."

Dammit! She did it again! Tea shook her head, "Sorry… I just didn't think you were so charitable with your time."

Folding his arms and lowering his lip, his glance darted out the window and to the ships passing by. "It's not like I have a company to run anymore."

"Oh… Right… I'm sorry about that."

He sighed, "It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is! How could you say it's not?"

Clenching his fist and slightly raising his voice Kaiba refuted with, "Because it was never your decision to begin with! You weren't the one that chose to be used as Kaiba Corp's science project, alright!?" He took a moment to exhale, calming himself. "The decisions I made were purely of my own accord. As much as you'd like to take the blame, you can't."

Lowering her head and nodding, Tea concluded that Kaiba was right. She couldn't take the blame— in fact, no one could. Neither knew of the repercussions the virtual world would have on them. Sure, Kaiba burned down his own project, but it was his way of burying the past. He never should have paid the consequences for it, just like she never should have lost her mobility. But both had come full circle, and today was a new day.

"I want to go to the top of the Empire State Building."

Kaiba looked surprised at the quick change in subject. Accepting her response, he giggled, "Thank God! I thought you were going to want to go ice skating."

Her face lit up. "We could do that too!"

"No way," he protested, "I can't skate!"

"Well," Tea raised her eyebrow, "something Seto Kaiba can't do."

He smiled, she snorted, and soon a genuine laugh came tumbling from the both of them.


Kaiba came face to face with the worst sign he'd ever seen.

Please no smoking.

"Fuck."

A woman nearby gasped and covered her young daughter's ears, glaring up at Kaiba as she strolled past. Tea noticed and whispered, "You might want to keep the language at a minimum while we're in public."

The two were standing just outside the doors that lead toward the observatory deck of the Empire State Building's eighty-sixth floor. The inside of the building was packed with tourists, one thing Kaiba hated unless he was profiting from them. Simply seeing that sign, slapped right next to the outside door, put him even more on edge.

Kaiba gestured to the offensive sign, "Isn't this the whole reason you wanted to come up here?"

"No, I wanted to come up here because it's one of the few places in this city I haven't toured yet. Besides, it's fitting to want to come up here with you, don't you think?"

He folded his arms across his broad chest. "Not if we can't smoke."

Tea rolled her eyes, he was acting like a child. Trying to play it cool, she replied, "Weren't you the one who mentioned all the rules you could break with a Benjamin Franklin?"

"Oh, so you expect me to fund your whole life now, is that it?"

She couldn't tell if he was kidding, so she went on the defensive, "I can bend the rules just as much as you can!"

He cockily raised an eyebrow, "Yeah? Show me all the hundreds you're carrying around in that bag of yours." He pointed to her black and gold crossbody handbag that hugged her hip.

She swallowed and fought back her embarrassment. "It's not like you don't have enough to go around!"

He rolled his eyes, pulling a box of cigarettes, a lighter, and his wallet out from his breast pocket. "Come on, loser."

"Ouch, so offensive," she shot him playful eyes.

"Weren't you the one who mentioned keeping my language at a minimum? I'm doing you a favor…. No…" he hesitated, reaching into his leather trifold to pull out a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill, waving it lightly in front of her, "Make that two favors," as he playfully shot back with a wink.

Zigzagging their way through throngs of people and circling the upper deck multiple times, they finally located a spot next to the crossed fence that separated viewers from the edge of the building. Without a care, Kaiba leaned back on the fence, took out a fresh cigarette and cupped his hands over the end of it while attempting to light it against the wind. Tea noticed how casually fearless he looked, as if the height didn't even phase him. Suddenly, he popped a cigarette in her mouth and smiled, cupping her face and lighting the cigarette for her.

Taking the tobacco between his two fingers, he gave her a sly smile, "You're welcome."

She hadn't realized she'd been staring at him until he shot an eyebrow skyward. Inhaling, she puffed the smoke away from them and turned to look over the edge, trying not to feel awkward about her muses. Why was he so gorgeous, and why was she so attracted to bad boys like him? He truly was no good for her.

"This is much different than in your mind," he stated, exhaling loudly as he shifted to look out over the edge with her, "much less exhilarating if you ask me."

She smirked, taking an exaggerated drag, "No one asked you," she exhaled in his direction and he just took it, glaring at her as her smoke encompassed him, "besides, I like the fence, it's much safer if you ask me. Prevents irrational people from jumping."

He turned away from her and sarcastically asked, "Are you always this pleasant?"

Tea couldn't help but giggle. Same old Kaiba. She offered him a genuine smile and replied, "Only with the people I love."

They froze, not because of the chill in the air or the wind passing by, but because she accidently used a taboo word that could ultimately distort their entire relationship into something neither of them were ready for.

Shit. Shit. SHIT! Tea was mentally cursing herself. Her heart sank the moment she heard Kaiba clearing his throat. Dammit, I've ruined everything…

They both took a long and lingering hit of their cigarettes. Tea almost coughed from the smoke inhalation but held back, trying to keep her cool amongst the disaster she'd put herself in.

The time passed in anticipation, wondering who would speak next. Tea wouldn't dare open her mouth again. She had already said too much. To her disbelief, Kaiba was the one to speak first. Clearing his throat to gather her attention, he spoke slowly and hesitantly, "Tea… I have something to—"

"Excuse me sir," a man wearing a burgundy blazer with matching pants and captains cap interrupted, "there's no smoking on the observatory."

Kaiba gave a heavy sigh and reached for his wallet. He began pulling out a couple one-hundred dollars bills from his wallet, but stopped when his cigarette was suddenly plucked from his mouth.

"It's fine," Tea took the cigarette out of her mouth as well and put both of them out on the bottom of her boot, "Let's just go." She grabbed his arm abrasively, pulling him toward the exit.

"I thought you wanted to be up here?" Kaiba asked, trying to keep up with her as she marched along, still pulling his arm as she funneled through tourists.

"Not anymore."


A/N: So. Much. Dialogue! Also, a shit ton of drama. Honestly, I prefer less drama but this chapter will connect the dots to the next. I promise that the loose ends will be tied up, i.e. Kaiba drinking at nine am. We're getting down to the wire and I can't even fathom the fact that I've written twenty-seven chapters of this story and there's still more. Again, thank you for sticking with me. Please let me know what you liked or disliked in the reviews section. Until next time!